12 days of xmas

12 Days of Xmas: Beauty Night Aims to Deliver Holiday Joy to Impoverished Women

October 22, 2013 by caroline

Beauty Night Society is delighted to team up with Greencircle Salons for our 13th Annual 12 Days of Xmas Campaign. Fashion Designer Nancy Perreault designs a stocking. Schools, Youth Groups and Community Members sew, decorate and fill them. From December 12th - 24th, Beauty Night elves visit impoverished women and youth in shelters & drop in centres to drop off the stockings. We are collecting things to fill 1500 xmas stockings.

Our wish lists include: (new and unopened products)

Dental Care (tooth brushes, floss and tooth paste)

Nail Care (Nail polish, nail files, nail art decals)

Make up (sample sizes - new and unopened)

Skin Care Products

Mittens & Gloves

Socks

Tea bags

Journals

Mandarin Oranges

If you would like help collect donations to fill the stockings, please let us know. As we confirm drop off locations, we will continue to update this post. * To be included in the stockings, donations must be ready for pick up before November 29th.

Filed Under: Events, Xmas Stocking Drive Tagged With: 12 days of xmas, charity, Christmas, community, DTES, green circle salon, Nancy Perreault, Vancouver

Beauty Night Makes Top 7 For Social Media Awards

January 14, 2013 by caroline

We are thrilled to be one of the top 7 finalists for Social Media Awards 2013 in the Best Not for Profit Campaign. “Social media made it possible to help spread the word for our 12 Days of Xmas Campaign,” says Caroline MacGillivray, Beauty Night Society Founder, “Our campaign helps us spread a little more joy during the holiday season thanks to hundreds of volunteer elves who sew, decorate, fill and deliver 1500 stockings. This year we over shot our goal and did 1600 stockings.”

If you would like to vote for our cause, you can do so every day!

If you want to find out more about our 12 Days of Xmas campaign, here are a few moments captured on camera.

Filed Under: In the Media, Xmas Stocking Drive Tagged With: 12 days of xmas, beauty night society, downtown east side, DTES, not for profit campaign, social media awards

12 Days of Xmas

December 27, 2012 by caroline

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a full series of words could accompany these snap shots. From the moment, fashion designer, Nancy Perreault emailed the pattern for this year’s Xmas stocking to Christmas eve when the last stocking was handed out, we have been busy. Our wonderful volunteer elves have been sewing, decorating, stuffing and delivering xmas stockings to women and youth around the lower mainland. 1600 stockings were created and handed out. The smiles, the laughter and joy helped create and fill each stocking was felt by our ladies as they were handed out.

One of our favourite stocking stories this year:

“I held a stocking to her. She reached in to pick something out of the stocking and said, “thank you.” I realized she thought she was allowed one item from the stocking and told her that the whole stocking was for her. The smile that covered her face was huge!”

Huge thank you to Danielle and Ashley from Gastown Physio, Carrie and Jamen from Carrie Wheeler Entertainment Group, Stephanie Wong, Nancy Perreault, Blair Lockhart, Tritech Fabrics, AG Hair, London Drugs, Eminence Organics, Reel Curtains, Vital Health, YWIB SFU, Prettier in Green, Love Church, York House School, Ecole Sherwood, Eastside Fitness, and all of our amazing volunteers and sponsors who made this possible.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 12 days of xmas, beauty night society, carrie wheeler entertainment group, gastown wellness, Nancy Perreault, reel curtains, tritech fabric, Vital Health

Santa’s Helpers Gear up for 12 Days of Xmas Campaign

December 5, 2012 by caroline

During the holiday season, one of my favorite parts is watching community come together to spread joy. One of the ways we do that is through our 12 Days of Xmas Campaign. Fashion Designer, Nancy Perreault designs a stocking. Community members sew and decorate them.

Some of our Santa’s Helpers collect donations to fill the stockings and help deliver them to women and youth in shelters, 1st and 2nd stage housing, drop in centres and hospitals. From December 12-24th, volunteers dressed as elves deliver stockings and Christmas cheer.

Volunteer Paris Mallin started volunteering for Beauty Night with her mother, Tamara three years ago. For the 2nd year, Paris has asked her classmates at Ecole Sherwood Park to help. On December 3rd, Paris and her grade 3 class decorated stockings that will be filled by volunteers this weekend.

We’ve had hundreds of volunteers help sew, decorate and fill the stockings. Some of the volunteers are from York House, Carson Graham Secondary, Bal Moral Secondary, churches, girl guides and corporations. Here are some of the snap shots of our elves at Ecole Sherwood Park and the stockings they have decorated.

Paris Mallin and her classmates at Ecole Sherwood Park hold up the stockings they have decorated.

Filed Under: Donations/Fundraising, Events, Xmas Stocking Drive Tagged With: 12 days of xmas, beauty night society, charity, Christmas, DTES, Ecole Sherwood Park, Paris Mallin, Tamara Mallin, xmas

Sewers Needed for 12 Days of Xmas Campaign

October 17, 2012 by caroline

Fashion Designer, Nancy Perreault designs an Xmas Stocking. Community members and high school textile class students who want to volunteer, pick up the fabric and are given the stocking pattern.

The stockings need to be sewn and dropped off to Beauty Night before November 15th. At that stage, the stockings will be picked up by community groups and elementary school students who would like to decorate the stockings.

We (Team Beauty Night) go into the schools to engage students to have discussions about the cycle of poverty and how we can bring change and hope into the lives of people in the cycle of poverty. The stockings are decorated and dropped off by December 1.

Companies and individuals fill the stockings with self care and luxury products. There are several drop off locations in the Lower Mainland by December 1. By December 8th, stockings are filled. Volunteer Elves are able to pick up stockings and are on schedule for the next 12 days to drop off the stockings with Santa’s helpers.

By December 24th, we will have handed out 1500 Xmas stockings for women and youth living in poverty.

Here’s a video created by Bill Nevison capturing Team Beauty Night handing out the stockings during our annual Xmas party (included during our 12 days of Xmas Campaign) in 2008.

FAQ
Q. I sew and would love to help. How do I get involved?
A. Email Caroline at Beauty Night dot org with “Sewing Volunteer” in Subject Line.
She will email pattern to you and coordinate when you can come pick up a bolt of fabric to sew stockings. (Pick up location is around 13th and Granville area)

Q. Is it hand sewing?
A. It can be - but this project is geared towards sewing machine

Q. I have a group of students that would love to help decorate stockings
A. Email Caroline at Beauty Night dot org with “12 Days of Xmas Stocking Decorating Group” in Subject Line. She will coordinate pick up of stockings. Stockings will need to be dropped off by December 1.

Q. How do I decorate the stockings?
A. Many of the groups who have decorated stockings in the past have used glitter, paint, ribbon, buttons and additional craft supplies. Each stocking is unique and we are thrilled with the sheer volume of help we have had.

Q. What kind of sponsorship/items are you looking for to fill stockings?
A. All products must be new and unused. Tooth brushes, tooth paste, dental floss, nail files, nail polish, shampoo, conditioner, skin care products, socks, gloves, journals, pens, and much more.

Q. Why can’t I donate gently used product?
A. We try to follow the guidelines of Health & Safety Canada. Some of our participants have compromised immune systems we want to make sure that anything we give to them is safe and make them feel good.

Q. Do the product donations have to be the same?
A. No. We let the women know each stocking is individual. They are encouraged to share or trade items that them may not use.

Q. Where can I drop off product?
A. Product Drop off locations are to be confirmed. Drop offs will need to be dropped off by December 1.

Q. Are there other ways I can help?
A. We are looking for volunteers with cars who can help with transporting stockings and donations from drop off locations to the ladies.

Q. Any other ways I can help?
A.
Spread The Word
Follow us on Twitter
Join our conversation on Facebook

Donate
Every dollar counts. Last year we served 200 people each week during our programming 4 days each week on $44, 845.
You can:
make a one time donation
become a monthly donor
throw a fundraiser
create a giving page and ask friends to support our cause (great for birthdays, weddings, fitness goals)

Thank you for your on going support to our cause

Filed Under: Events, Fund Raising, Xmas Stocking Drive Tagged With: 12 days of xmas, beauty night, Christmas, DTES, santa, Vancouver

5th Day of Xmas

December 17, 2011 by caroline

Noon hours spent training new volunteers
who will come out on Monday to give Xmas cheer.
Students from Langara College
got training in “trauma awareness” knowledge.

Headed home to change into my suit
red velvet and white cuffs to boot.
A Santa hat adorned my head
Jeannie joined me in matching red.

Car stuffed with stockings we embarked
to the shelter to play the part.
Santa’s helpers, arms stuffed with stockings
so many boxes we had difficulty walking.

Women were delighted
We all felt excited.
Hugs came from all around
Hope and dignity a bound.

One moment touched me most
A woman haunted by violent ghosts
who never let anyone touch her
was so moved by the stocking she stirred.

Once then twice
she hugged me and Jeannie - oh so nice.
Eyes full of tears
She said we made her year.

Moments like that are
why we do the work
that we do.
Because we believe
hope, love and touch
can change lives so very much.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: 12 days of xmas, beauty night society, caroline macgillivray, Jeannie Frost, santa, shelter

4th Day of Xmas

December 16, 2011 by caroline

11 years ago yesterday,
our first Beauty Night was held.
At Wish Drop In Centre
73 participants thanks to 14 volunteers.
Hair, make up, nails, and massage
snacks, gift bags and laughter
filled the room
as we hustled and bustled.
Charlie Brown Christmas played
on the TV
Volunteers and Participants
danced the “Peanuts” dance.
Such fun we had
Everyone seemed so glad.
Participants made thank you cards
for volunteers and swung
by the nurses at health service
to show off hair cuts and painted nails
staying to get a check up.
There was so much love
we had to do it again and again.
11 years flew by
and 16 000 makeovers - oh my.
Thanks to 500 volunteers
Beauty Night has changed gears
wellness, life skills development and makeovers
to bring a hope, trust, dignity abundance takeover.

Last night dressed as elves,
we dropped by Wish, Serena’s place and Woodwards.
With gift bags and stockings
we handed out door to door.

My thought’s from the end of last night:
“Sad tales heard tonight
In some cases Xmas stockings
Brought great delight.
Joy to all of the women we saw tonight
Dealing with homelessness,
… Addiction, mental ill health
Poverty, violence and strife.
Glad we were able to share
A little Xmas delight.”

Happy 11 years to all of our supporters, participants, volunteers and corporate and community partners! Thanks for making it possible for 11 years, 16 000 makeovers!